New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-23
The NESSIGE md THE DOUBTFUL


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THE MESSAGE md TIE DOUBTFUL
STATES
All calculations Of the relative strength Of
parties in Ncw-Yorll, Connecticut and New
Jersey must be modified in view of President
ClcvclandS message. The written word
durcs. There viii be countless efforts by Mr..
Clevclands friends to explain away what he
said. But the message itself can be quoted IN
every school district meeting next year. with
its formal Endorsement Of the Treasury report
which explicitly proposed add to the free
list as many articles as possible. Reduce dulic
on every dutabc article to the lowest point
possible" The doctrines of the message and
report will affect great many votes in tho
three doubtful Eastern States: to that fact no
sensible politician tries to shut his eyes. The
Democratic party has never dared, IN any pre-
vious campaign TO meet the issue Of protection
in these States. Certainty Of defeat if that
issue could not be lodged cAtorcd from Gen
clal Hancock his funny observation that the
tariff "was a local issue, which
came up once in the town where
he was born; the same certainty
impcllcd advisers to cXtort from Mr. Cleveland
his Newark speech, October -. 1851. which
affirmed that his platform pledged him and
his party " to the protection Of the interests Of
the laborng men What his message now
aililms is that the aboring man needs and ought
TO have no protection
But this state can be carried for frcc-tradc
candidate, it is argued, because ii was carried
in November on a frcc-tIadc PLATFORM The
honest answer to this argument Is the one
made by 1.-THE Sun: the voters generally
neither knew nor cared anything about the
platform. 1t ought to have been otherwise
Even the empty assertion Of pcrniciouS doc
trincS should be met by intelligent voters with
decided pbulir, but the fact is that most Of the
voters pay no attention to platforms whatever
The need for prompt Icbukc was III this case
more urgent than usual The platform was not
a mere empty assertion Of theories, but was
designed to prepare the way for a struggle in
Congress to break down the protective tarin.
But most of the voters refused To consider II
Of any consequence whatever. Just as most
business men to-day refuse 10 attach any i'm
pOrtancc To President ClrvclandS declaration
Of war and 90 on buying and selling exactly
as if he had said nothing. Voters reasoned
then, business men reason now that no essen
tia change Of the tariff is possible, this Con
grcss being what it is THE TRIBUNE SIN
cclciy hopes that voters and business men will
be found right in that belief.
But in the Presidential election the question
will compel public attention. Some Of Mr.
Clcyclands worShippcrS hope that failure by
Congress to act on his recommendations Will
deprive the issue Of force But they will learn
their mistake I'm Ncw-York and New Jersey
there were many influential manufacturers who
supported Mr. Cleveland earnestly and with
effect, because they were Democrats. and III
their partisan zeal were persuaded that "hc
was as strong protcctionist as anybody Mr..
Smith Weed and others went 10 and lrO giving
solemn assurances, which were by many cred
tied. Thousands Of wOrkIngmcn, assured by
Democratic employers that there was no danger
Of any reduction Of protective duties, supported
the Democratic candidate. These manuiaCt-
urcrs and worIiingmcn would have laborcd
with desperate energy against that candidate
if they had known the half Of what he has ;od
them in his last message. mere fraction Of
their votes, if turned against him. would have
defeated Mr.. Cleveland in 1854.
At the same time the issue Of protection. III
spite Of all Democratic cvasions, did influence
a great many voters. especially Irish work
men. who were prepared by appreciation Of
English policy to resist a triumph Of that policy
in the United States. These voters. and thou
sands more who Sympathzcd with them until
their religious feelings were touched just at
the close Of the contest have seen President
Clcvcland's course and the passionate approval
Of British journals. They have watched the
conduct Of the Secretary Of State III foreign
affairs. They realize how great influence
British theories and British interests have
sent it. The message came just at a time to
be remembered when Mr. Cleveland again be-
comes a candidate next year.
A change Of 1000 votes in Newly ork or Of
a few moro in Ncw-Jcrscy would have turned
the scale in those States. Is it probable that
tho events Of the past three years have not
produced such a change? There will be in
gcnious efforts to dodge. but the American
people are not usually bcfoolcd twice by the
same trick, played by the same men. 1t is not
possible for the evasion to be az successful
next year as it was when Mr.. Cleveland was
unknown and taken on trust. During the
winter and the coming spring there will be
incessant discussions Of the tariff at Washing
tone Votes will be taken. many speeches will
be made and circulated. public attention will
be fixed on the struggle, and at every step it
will DO seen that President Cievclands free
trade message has forced the fight. Is it to
bo expected that all these things will be for
gotten next November?